CSIRO cleared of link with forestry lobby group

An investigation by the Commonwealth Ombudsman has cleared the CSIRO of its links with a forestry lobby group, but has warned its reputation could suffer.

Environmentalists had complained the CSIRO's reputation as an independent research organisation was damaged when it paid thousands of dollars to become a member of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA).

But the ombudsman has decided any damage to the reputation of the organisation is outweighed by the benefits of being a member of the lobby group.

"I do not consider that AFPA's actions can automatically be attributed to CSIRO by virtue of its membership of that body," it said.

The ombudsman said the CSIRO acknowledged that being a member of lobby groups carried a risk that its reputation could suffer damage by association.

In its letter, the ombudsman's office says the CSIRO has a judgment call to make.

"I agree that the CSIRO cannot completely distance itself from the organisations that it has voluntarily decided to join and that it is free to leave," it said.

AFPA has taken the Federal Government to task over its climate change policies and lobbied for more resources for CSIRO researchers.

In its latest publication the association criticises the treatment of forestry under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

For activist Jill Redwood, from Environment East Gippsland, the CSIRO's membership of the association is a serious conflict of interest.

"There are a lot of good scientists and a lot of good research that's going on inside the CSIRO, and it's just a shame to have this forestry division taint the whole organisation with what they've done here," she said.

Questions to answer

A complaint from Ms Redwood prompted an investigation by the ombudsman.

In a letter outlining its preliminary findings, the ombudsman's office says the complaint warranted investigation, but the ombudsman ultimately accepts the CSIRO's explanation that it joins industry groups for valid networking purposes.

But Ms Redwood still has concerns and is not letting the matter rest there.

She has sent another letter to the ombudsman requesting the office carry out a proper investigation.

"Why do they need to pay $10,000 to this political lobby group? We also have to wonder, what if CSIRO's animal health division paid $10,000 a year to join Animals Australia or its marine division joined Sea Shepherd?" she said.

"I'm sure that would be totally unacceptable, but here because it's a lobbying lobby group it seems to be OK and the ombudsman has given it a tick."

Ms Redwood says there needs to be more transparency when it comes to government agencies supporting lobby groups.

"I think the public should know what other political lobby groups the government agencies fund under this guise of memberships fees," she said.

"We don't know whether they are also members of the coal lobby group, the uranium lobby group."

AFPA, the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the CSIRO all declined to comment.